Surf Camp on Ericeira World Surfing Reserve demolished

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 August, 2012 : - - The County council of Mafra will take over management of the land where the surf-camp is located at Ribeira d'Ilhas, Ericeira, Portugal. In the presence of police, the owners were forced to demolish the surf-camp and evict the campers.

The owners were notified two weeks ago, but the case is not peaceful. In writing, the government reports the operation determines the possession of three land managements for the implementation of a plan on the beach at Ribeira d'Ilhas, to provide infrastructure and quality equipment suitable for surfing.

The lawyer for the owners, Jose Fonseca Vieira, told Lusa news agency, the government said about two weeks ago that it would take over management of the site after winning a court action, but the decision was brought by a new precautionary measure, which is awaiting a decision.

The owners demolished all the services of the surf-camp, removing furniture and other equipment, and were forced to evict the roughly 30 guests.

The County of Mafra, who did not provide any sort of clarification, is to implement a work plan under the Coastal Zone Planning, whose first phase was started in November, with the stabilization of the cliff and building a wooden walkway.

The redevelopment of the beach will cost 2.3 million euros, reimbursed in half by the National Strategic Reference Framework and 521 000 euros by Turismo de Portugal. The intervention will include the redevelopment of the beach access and parking, pedestrian, placement of new street furniture and new lighting. It will also be created "a center of support for sports activities related to surfing", similar to a center of high yield, with the construction of support structures for events.

About Ericeira World Surfing Reserve

The Ericeira World Surfing Reserve is a world-class surf zone encompassing approximately 8 km of coastline. It contains a high density of outstanding surf breaks, including iconic breaks such as Ribeira d’Ilhas and Coxos, among others.

The ancient population of Ericeira was inhabited by an ethnic group called ‘Jagoz’, different from the neighboring villages because this group lived almost exclusively from the sea. Ericeira was visited by members of the royal family, monarchist and republican aristocrats, that built their vacation homes, and were regarded as the first sunbathers of this village.

Surfing first came to the beaches of Ericeira in the mid-1970s, and has since become the focal point for Portuguese surfing. ASP World Tour professional surfer Tiago Pires was born and raised in Ericeira, and a number of surfing-related businesses have sprouted up in the area to support the influx of both local and visiting surfers.

The diversity of waves in the area, along with their various degrees of difficulty, enables good surfing conditions for all levels of surfers, from beginners to professionals. Also, Ericeira is home to numerous surf schools, in addition to regional and international surf competitions.